The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for reducing power consumption in mobile multi-mode communication terminals. In this case, multi-mode refers to equipment that can be operated in various modes, and can in this way communicate via various communication networks. Dual mode would be the corresponding specific term if the equipment could communicate via two different communication networks.
As a result of the future worldwide integration of and cooperation between different communication networks for wire-free transmission of voice and data, there is a user demand to be able to use all, or at least a number, of these communication networks with one unit. In order to be able to receive all the communication networks with this one unit, and thus to be able to access them, the communication terminal has to continuously search for (scan) a plurality of networks which may be present. This leads to a scanning frequency that is higher than that with simple mobile terminals. For scanning, a plurality of hardware components of a multi-mode communication terminal, such as RF assemblies containing an amplifier, mixer, demodulator, oscillator and baseband assemblies containing a digital signal processor, processor and memory must be active and must be supplied with power. In order to allow this to be done, a number of the hardware components must be present, in a different configuration and thus repeatedly in order to satisfy the requirements of different communication networks, and the components must be supplied with power. These reasons lead to a power consumption being higher than that for communication terminals which can be accessed only within one specific communication network. This results in a shorter standby time in which the unit can be accessed without any intermediate recharging. The standby time is a critical technical parameter and an important sales criterion for mobile communication terminals.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus for reducing the power consumption of mobile multi-mode communication terminals which overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art methods and devices of this general type, in which the power consumption of mobile multi-mode communication terminals can be reduced.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for reducing power consumption in mobile multi-mode communication terminals, which includes varying a frequency of searching (scanning) for available communication networks in dependence on information relating to a local availability of the communication networks.
In this case, the frequency of searching (scanning) for available communication networks is varied as a function of information about the local availability of the communication networks. It is also feasible for this information also to be reported to the multi-mode communication terminal via appropriate keys and/or by menu controled by the user.
The invention is accordingly based on the idea that all the possible different communication networks are not available in all areas and thus the hardware components, which have to be repeated more than once, in a multi-mode communication terminal, the only ones which need to be operated and supplied with power are those which are required to be accessible via the currently available communication networks.
In one embodiment of the invention, the information about which communication networks are available or are not available is signaled by the available communication networks.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for the frequency of the search processes in a self-learning process to be matched to the local availability of the communication networks.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication terminal searches for available communication networks at time intervals, in which case the search for specific communications networks is stopped if the communication terminal finds, in regions in which an available communication network is signaling, that the search for these specific communication networks should be stopped.
A further preferred embodiment variant of the invention provides that the communication terminal searches for available communication networks at time intervals, in which case areas in which the search for specific communication networks is unsuccessful are marked, and this marking is used to stop or to limit a further or renewed search for these specific communication networks in these areas, at least until a specific time period has passed.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is further provided, in accordance with the invention, a mobile communication terminal, including:
a communicator for communicating with a plurality of communication networks;
a scanner connected to the communicator and searching for which of the plurality of communication networks being available;
an evaluator evaluating information relating to the availability of the communication networks; and
a controller controlling the scanner for searching for available communication networks in dependence on an evaluation of the information about the availability of the communication networks for reducing overall power consumption of all component parts.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method and an apparatus for reducing the power consumption of mobile multi-mode communication terminals, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.